Summary (English)

This working paper on cash transfers in Mexico presents the impact of a major national cash transfer programme on health, education, income, poverty, labour force participation, time use and bargaining power of women at the household and community level. Its results point to evidence that most of these gender-related interventions have focused on breaking the inter-generational cycle of poverty, particularly for disadvantaged girl children, but have been weaker in promoting women’s economic empowerment through employment or sustainable livelihoods. It also highlights the challenge of enhancing women’s economic empowerment with targeted actions aimed at reducing women’s time poverty and redistributing unpaid care responsibilities between women and men and between families and the State.